Kr and Xe ions implanted on the surfaces of Mo, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Au and platinum group elements

Abstract

Kr and Xe ion bombardment experiments were conducted on Mo, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Au, and five platinum group elements. The implanted Kr and Xe ions were detected, and their concentrations were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) using synchrotron radiation. In the case of 5d transition metals, the binding energies of Kr2p3/2, Xe3d3/2, and Xe3d5/2 in the target metals correlate with the number of d electrons of metals. Furthermore, the Xe concentration in the 5d transition metals correlates with atomic number, but there is no such correlation for Kr. The observed trend for the Xe concentration can approximately be reproduced by a theoretical calculation that takes sputtering yield into consideration. The retentivities of Kr and Xe are defined as the ratio of the experimental and theoretical surface concentrations. Although there is no correlation between retentivity and the atomic number of the target metal, the elastic energies in the cases of Kr and Xe atoms implanted in metals positively correlate with the corresponding retentivities. If the activation energy of noble-gas diffusion in the target metals can be represented in terms of the elastic energy, the noble-gas retentivity can be qualitatively explained.